Mary, wife to the late Vice President Saulos Chilima has said that there are still many unanswered questions, regarding the tragic death of her husband in June last year.
Speaking in Lilongwe on Wednesday during the launch of the Saulos Klaus Chilima (SKC) Foundation, she said so far, efforts to address their have fallen short of being satisfactory.
Chilima, former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri and seven others were on board an MDF plane Dornier 228 MAFT03 from Lilongwe to Mzuzu Airport when it crashed in Chikangawa on June 10 2024.
“Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima was a special man, who was loved by many. This outpouring of love was evident especially on the 10th and the 11th of June. Malawians, Africans and the world beyond regardless of creed, tribe or religion, joined together in hope and prayer for the souls we lost that day.
“This is why as his widow, I continue to mourn and seek convincing answers as to why such a visionary, hardworking, humble, patriotic, peace-loving, prayerful, son of the soil had to die in such circumstances. There are still many unanswered questions, regarding those 24 hours. And so far efforts to address these concerns have fallen short of being satisfactory,” she said
Mary said the past 8 months have not been easy for her and the entire Chilima family, similarly, they have not been easy for the Muluzi, Kapheni, Chimaneni, Kanyemba, Aidini, Lapukeni, Ngwilinji, Selemani and Sambalopa families.
“We have been debilitated by endless grief and sorrow, caught up in an endless cycles of anger despair, and confusion. During one of these moments, I asked myself; if Saulos were here, what would he have me do? Many have tried to answer that question on behalf of Saulos, telling me to continue his political journey. However, the political arm of Dr Chilima’s legacy will continue with the party that he founded – UTM. The party has my full blessing to realize his political manifesto in the best way that they can.
“I have known Saulos for 29 years, and he has been in politics for just the last 10 years. Throughout those 29 years, there is one consistent aspect of his character that I observed, and that was his desire to serve, kuthandiza anthu ovutika, kudzipereka kumpingo, komanso kukonda dziko lake kwambiri. Throughout his career, he had opportunities to relocate from Malawi, but he remained steadfast loving his country through thick and thin.
“I realized that if Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima was able to speak to me right now, his first order of business, would be to ensure that I take care of our children, and because he was full of empathy, he would also want me to take care of the immediate families of those that were unfortunate enough to die with him in Chikangawa.
“He often said to me, Mary, Life is not a rehearsal, you have to do the most that you can with the time that you have. Pray hard, work hard, live hard and serve hard. And he lived by those words, if he committed to something, he would see it through to the end.
“So if Saulos were here today, he would not let anger, sorrow, despair, confusion and frustration, stop him from continuing his work. If I had to choose a motto for his mindset, I would say that for SKC, life wasn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it was about learning to dance in the rain.
“Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima died at 51 years, 3 months and 29 days. A short but impactful life, a life full of triumphs, a life full of sorrows, but ultimately, a life of faith, service and patriotism. Today, on what would have been his 52nd birthday, I want to present him with the gift of perpetuity. I want to ensure that the name of Saulos Klaus Chilima should remain unconquered, unvanquished and undefeated in life and in death.
“That resonated with me. On this, his 52nd birthday I am honored to ensure that I continue his legacy by bringing real and tangible change to the lives of his beloved fellow Malawians. With your help, the Saulos Klaus Chilima Foundation will become a platform to promote a collective mindset change. A vehicle towards the advancement and development of Malawi and Africa, through excellence and innovation,” she said
The widow said the foundation is being formed to perpetuate a legacy, but also, to address glaring challenges in our systems.
“As such, allow me to mention a few of our intended activities. The Saulos Klaus Chilima foundation will support and promote education for underprivileged students through scholarships, and this scholarship opportunity will also be extended to all the children who lost a parent in Chikangawa, if so required. This offer does not extend to the Chilima and Muluzi families. The foundation will partner with schools to provide infrastructure and to promote skills training to empower the youth.
“As the foundation is premised on the works of the late Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima, we will develop a rapid response fund to assist families affected by natural disasters, pandemics or other emergencies. We all saw how quickly Dr Chilima responded to natural disasters and calamities, but furthermore, he insisted on a more proactive approach to disaster management. Therefore, as a foundation, we intend to partner with organizations that proactively prepare for potential hazards in order to avoid loss of life,” she said
